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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. charge — in control
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. charge — a price
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. hand — in cards
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. vault — a safe
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. hand — help
  19. fork — in a road
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bay — to keep at bay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com